The present invention relates to a heat shield, and in particular to a heat shield made from a laminated sheet material and intended for use in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, such as an automobile or truck.
Modern internal combustion engines are typically designed to have high working temperatures to provide high thermodynamic efficiency. The high thermodynamic efficiency reduces fuel consumption, but the high working temperatures of the engine are a source of great practical difficulty in the construction and operation of the vehicle. The maximum temperature of combustion of gasoline in a cylinder approaches the melting point of platinum, and even the exhaust gas from the engine may have a temperature above the melting point of aluminum. Careful heat management is necessary to ensure that the components of an automobile can endure long years of reliable use in a high temperature environment.
Heat shields are used increasingly in modem automobiles as a technique for managing heat. Since the heat managing problems typically vary from one automobile model to the next, depending upon many factors such as engine home power and design, the layout of components under the hood, susceptibility of various components to deterioration due to high temperature, under hood air flow, and so forth, the exact configuration of the heat shields for automotive performance will vary from model to model.
An automotive heat shield typically has one surface to reflect radiant heat. In addition, the heat shield must also have sufficient structure to retain its shape over the life of the vehicle, have a minimum number of fasteners to attach the heat shield to the vehicle and must be light in weight.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost and easy to manufacture heat shield.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a heat shield having the needed structural characteristics to retain its shape over the life of the vehicle and also has a minimum number of fasteners to attach the heat shield to a vehicle.